a strange tale

Rating: 6/10 (3 July 2005)

This offering from director Giuseppe Tornatore was billed as "an epic story of a man who could do anything... except be ordinary." Tim Roth stars as the title character - the spastic, moody pianist who was born and raised on a ship, and named after the year in which he was found. He encounters many unique personages on his travels, most notably the story's narrator, Max Tooney (Pruitt Taylor Vince). The two become fast friends: 1900 teaches Max to find his sea-legs, and Max becomes his most devoted fan. For 1900 is a piano prodigy. He plays beautiful music that no one has ever heard before, inspired by the faces of passengers that he sees. Appropriately, his most gorgeous piece is written when he catches sight of the woman he is destined to love. There's only one problem: he refuses to set foot on dry land.
The film is, basically, a fantasy. A grown-up's fairy tale. Not for a moment do I believe that any of this could ever happen, and neither did all the critics who gave it negative reviews. This kind of movie is acceptable, perhaps, in Europe. Not in America. Our critics demand realism, and their usual beef with any given film is the "unrealistic" happenings, or "plot holes". But it's The Legend of 1900 for a reason...it isn't real, and we're not meant to believe that it is. In order for this type of story to work, the characters must be compelling enough to carry a fantastical tale. Films like Goldfinger and Ocean's 11 have banked on this before, and we've become used to such hijinks in the action/adventure genre. But an unbelievable drama? There's no question that Roth's 1900 is fascinating. Charmingly neurotic, he endures the ribbing of his friends and enemies with Bogartesque grace. The character of Max Tooney is meant to be the duller companion to his genius: the Watson to his Holmes, the Robin to his Batman. Unfortunately Vince's performance leaves something to be desired, and his character is given little to do. He plays the trumpet well and (reportedly) tells a great story, but he lacks the charisma needed in a sidekick. When 1900's home ship, The Virginian, is destined to be destroyed, Max embarks on a quest to find 1900 and save him from the explosion. This search spans the whole film, intercut with flashbacks to the many voyages of Max and 1900. The ending is predictable. In fact, each moment in the film is predictable, with one exception. Almost every single plot point is shamelessly foreshadowed at least once, and I found myself wondering wearily how long it would take to reveal each "twist". Maybe it's the American in me. I just wanted to see stuff get blown up.
The one truly interesting scene is the "piano duel" between 1900 and jazz sensation Jelly Roll Morton (Clarence Williams III). You find yourself as bewildered by 1900's behavior as are the passengers...what is he doing? Why? When will he finally show Jelly Roll who's boss? In spite of yourself, you really want this strange young sea-bound man to win. You like him. What's not to like? But liking a character isn't always enough to carry a film. Such is the case here. In the end, you realize that you never really had any vested interest in 1900 or his fate. He's interesting to look at, but his magic lasts only as long as his fingers play.